Churches

St Mary's

The church, dedicated to St. Mary was consecrated on 17th June 1873.Along with the adjoining building (now a Nursing Home)and nearby school (now a Youth Club) the church was founded by Robert Bamford Hesketh of Gwrych Castle, Abergele, his daughter the Countess of Dundonald being the first patron. The style of the church is a copy of the early decorative period from a design by G.E.Street,R.A., a renowned Victorian Architect, and the church is now a Grade 2 Listed building of notable interest. The church comprises a nave and north aisle of four bays, choir with organ chamber and chancel. Entrance to the church is through a south porch and the Vestry at the north east angle of the church and used to connect the church with the former Vicarage via the cloister. This was blocked up following the sale of the Vicarage in the 1980's. The belfry tower rises above the choir and is roofed, like the nave, with coloured slates laid in a diaper pattern. The altar area comprises a carved, stone reredos, by Earp, depicting the Crucifixion with the Marys, St.John and Roman Soldiers. The colouring of the reredos was undertaken in 1950. Either side of the altar there are two niches now faced with wooden frames and painted, on one side with the figure of St. David our Patron Saint and an angel and, on the other side, with a figure of St. Asaph and an angel representing our Diocese. Above the altar is the Te Deum window by Hardman, representing the Adoration of our Lord by the Church Triumphant. The Good Shepherd and Virgin Mother are represented by two other stained glass windows. The large picture on the north wall depicts "Christ Blessing the Children" The Childrens Altar to the right of the west wall is beneath a stained glass window designed by A. Seward of Lancaster and dedicated to one Elsie Carver and dated 1927. Towyn suffered major flooding in February 1990 causing serious damage to the fabric of the building requiring the whole of the floor in the nave to be replaced. The tiles were made sepcifically to the design of the original and the pattern reinstated in the re-laying. It is still possible to see where the water settled for several days, in the soft stone around the main door frame and the area around the pulpit and organ chamber.